Conventionally, there has been a game system allowing a character appearing in a game to be transferred or exchanged between a plurality of game devices. In the above-described game system, the plurality of game devices are interconnected by a communication cable, etc. Character-related data is transmitted from a game device that gives the character to a game device that receives the character. The data related to the transmitted character is deleted from the game device which gave the character. As a result, character transfer is realized.
The use of the above-described game system allows a player to lend his/her own character, whose ability is improved during the game, to another player for only three days. That is, character-related data is first transmitted from a game device which lends the character to a game device which borrows the character, and the same data is transmitted from the game device which borrowed the character to the game device which lent the character, thereby realizing lending and borrowing of the character.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-233668 discloses a game system allowing character-related data to be lent/borrowed between players via a server. In this game system, a character uploaded by a player from his/her game device to the server can be downloaded by another player to his/her game device. The player who has downloaded the character can return the same character to the server as appropriate. On the other hand, the player who has uploaded the character can recall the same character from the server as appropriate.
The above-described two game systems have the following problems when lending/borrowing of a character is performed.
That is, in the former game system, it is necessary to perform data communications between two game devices in order to transmit character-related data from the game device which borrowed the character to the game device which lent the character at the time of returning the character. Thus, if the player who lent the character and the player who borrowed the character live in separate places, they are required to meet somewhere, bringing their own game device with them, in order to return the character. Also, if the player who borrowed the character forgets a borrowed character due date, the character is not returned, which is a disadvantage for the player who lent the character. Furthermore, if data related to the character is lost due to an improper operation by the player who borrowed the character during the lending period of the character, the character is not returned to the game device of the player who lent the character. Thus, there is no guarantee that the character is sure to be returned on a promised due date, which causes a player to be hesitant in lending his/her character to another player.
In the latter game system, character-related data is held in a memory card of the game device which lent the character even after the character is uploaded to the server. That is, strictly speaking, the player who lent the character only provides a copy of the character to another player rather than lends the character. As such, lending/borrowing of a character performed in the latter game system is different from lending/borrowing of an item performed in the real world. However, generation of a copy in such a manner reduces the scarcity value of a rare character which is hard to get during the game, and impairs the fascinating feature of the game. On the other hand, this allows players to be able to freely download and borrow another player's character held in the server. The player who borrowed the character may further arbitrarily determine whether or not to return the borrowed character to the server. Furthermore, even if the player who borrowed the character does not return the character to the server, the player who lent the character does not find it inconvenient because the character is merely a copy, which is also different from the lending/borrowing performed in the real world.
Therefore, a feature of the present exemplary embodiments is to provide a game system, a game device, and a game program, which allow a character appearing in the game to be lent/borrowed, without producing a copy thereof, as if it were an item of the real world, and at the same time guarantee that the character is sure to be returned at the expiration of a predetermined lending/borrowing period without the need for the lender and a borrower of the character to meet.
The present exemplary embodiments have the following characteristics to attain the feature mentioned above (notes in parentheses indicate exemplary elements which can be found in the embodiments to follow, though such notes are not intended to limit the scope of the invention).
A game system of a present exemplary embodiment is a game system comprising a plurality of game devices (a first game device, a second game device), between which game data usable in a game is operable to be exchanged. Note that characters and items appearing in the game, and techniques and magic used by the characters are included in the above-described game data usable in the game. The respective game devices include: a game data storage device (12); a game process executing mechanism (a CPU core 24 executing step S403); a time counter (an RTC 13 or a timer); a lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S206, S304); a period expiration determining mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S2012, S2016); and a game data use controlling mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S200, S206, S304, S2013, S2017). The game data storage device includes locations that store the game data (FIG. 6) usable in the game. The game process executing mechanism executes a game process using the data stored in the game data storage device. The time counter counts a time. Note that the time counter may be a real time clock, or may be a timer for measuring an elapsed time from a given time point. The lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism sets lending/borrowing period information shared between the game devices, which is used for setting a lending/borrowing period, when lending/borrowing of the game data is performed between the game devices. Note that the lending/borrowing period information may be information indicating a lending/borrowing period, or may be information indicating a lending/borrowing expiration time. The period expiration determining mechanism determines whether or not the lending/borrowing period is expired, in accordance with the time counter, based on the lending/borrowing period information set by the lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism. The game data use controlling mechanism controls use of individual game data in the game. The game data use controlling mechanism of a first game device (100 and 110), which is a game device which lends the game data, temporarily disables (S206) use of a piece of game data in the first game device at a time of lending the game data to a second game device (200 and 210), which is a game device which borrows the game data, and subsequently enables (S2013) use of the game data in the first game device when determination is made by the period expiration determining mechanism of the first game device that the lending/borrowing period of the game data has expired (YES at S2012). Also, the game data use controlling mechanism of the second game device temporarily enables (S304) use of a piece of game data in the second game device at a time of borrowing the game data from the first game device, and subsequently disables (S2017) use of the game data in the second game device when the determination is made by the period expiration determining mechanism of the second game device that the lending/borrowing period of the game data has expired (YES at S2016). Thus, when game data is lent, the use of the game data is temporarily prohibited in a game device which lends the game data, and the use of the game data is prohibited in a device which borrowed the game data when the game data is returned. As a result, a copy of the game data is not produced, thereby realizing more realistic lending/borrowing. Also, the game device which lent the game data and the game device which borrowed the game data individually manage the lending/borrowing period, and individually execute a game data return process (that is, the device which lent the game data executes a process for enabling the use of the game data again, and the game device which borrowed the game data executes a process for disabling the use of the game data) after a lapse of the lending/borrowing period. Thus, it is not necessary to perform data communications when the game data is returned, thereby saving the trouble of connecting the two devices to each other. Also, it is guaranteed that the game data is returned on the due date.
Also, based on the above-described game system, the lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism may set an expiration time of the lending/borrowing period of the game data, the time counter may be a clock (13) for counting a real time, when a piece of game data is lent from the first game device to the second game device, the lending/borrowing expiration time of the game data shared between the first game device and the second game device may be set (S206, S304). The period expiration determining mechanism of the first game device may determine whether or not the lending/borrowing period is expired (S2012) based on the lending/borrowing expiration time set by the lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism of the first game device and a time of the clock of the first game device, and the period expiration determining mechanism of the second game device may determine whether or not the lending/borrowing period is expired (S2016) based on the lending/borrowing expiration time set by the lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism of the second game device and a time of the clock of the second game device. Thus, a player who lends/borrows the character is aware of a return date and time of the game data (for example, 10 a.m., April 5).
Also, based on the above-described game system, a time of the clock of the first game device and a time of the clock of the second game device may be synchronized (S204, S302) by data communications when a piece of game data is lent from the first game device to the second game device. Thus, a time lag between a clock of the game device which lends the game data and a clock of the game device which borrows the game data is previously corrected, thereby avoiding a situation, for example, in which lending/borrowing periods of the respective game devices are expired at different times, even if a lending/borrowing expiration time shared between the game device which lent the game data and the game device which borrowed the game data has been set.
Also, in the above-described game system, the respective game devices may further include a time setting mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S109) for allowing a player to change a time of the clock (S503) if there is no lent/borrowed game data (NO at S501 and NO at S502), and prohibiting the player from changing a time of the clock (S504) if there is any lent/borrowed game data (YES at S501 or YES at S502). Note that a change of a time may be allowed irrespective of whether or not there is any borrowed game data if there is no lent game data, or a change of a time may be allowed irrespective of whether or not there is any lent game data if there is no borrowed game data. Alternatively, a change of a time may be allowed only when there is no lent game data and there is no borrowed game data. Thus, it is possible to prevent unauthorized extension of the lending/borrowing period of the game data by the player who borrows the game data by turning back the clock before the lending/borrowing period of the game data is expired.
Also, based on the above-described game system, the respective game devices may execute a game process by connecting a game cartridge (110) storing a game program to a main unit (100) executing a game process based on the game program, and the clock (13), which is built into the game cartridge (110), may count a real time irrespective of whether or not the game cartridge is connected to the main unit. Thus, it is possible to prevent the clock from being set arbitrarily by the player when the game in which lending/borrowing of game data is performed is not played (that is, when a cartridge of the game is not inserted into the main unit) in the game device allowing the player to interchange a game cartridge and enjoy a plurality of games by inserting a game cartridge corresponding to a desired game into the main unit.
Also, based on the above-described game system, a count value of the time counter may not be capable of being changed by the player (S504). Thus, it is possible to prevent unauthorized extension of the lending/borrowing period by the player.
Also, based on the above-described game system, the second game device may notify (S603) a third game device of the lending/borrowing period information of the game data, which is shared between the first game device and the second game device, at a time of subletting the game data borrowed from the first game device to the third game device, and the game data use controlling mechanism of the second game device may disable (S604) use of the game data in the second game device, and the game data use controlling mechanism of the third game device may temporarily enable use of the game data in the third game device at a time of borrowing the game data from the second game device, and may subsequently disable use of the game data in the third game device when determination is made by the period expiration determining mechanism of the third game device that the lending/borrowing period based on the lending/borrowing period information, which is notified by the second game device, has expired. Thus, even if, after game data is lent from a game device (the first game device) to another game device (the second game device), the game data is lent from the second game device to still another game device (a third game device), in other words, even if so-called subletting is performed, a game device, which is an original lender of the game data, and a game device, which is a final borrower of the game data, individually manage the lending/borrowing period, and individually execute a return process (that is, the game device which lent the game data performs a process for enabling the use of the game data again, and the game device which borrowed the game data performs a process for prohibiting the use of the game data) of the game data after a lapse of the lending/borrowing period. Thus, it is not necessary to perform data communications when the game data is returned, thereby saving the trouble of connecting the two devices to each other. Furthermore, in general, when subletting is performed, there is a high possibility that the sublet item is never returned to the original lender. However, the present game system guarantees that the game data is sure to be returned on a due date even if subletting is performed.
Also, based on the above-described game system, the time counter may be a clock for counting a real time, the period expiration determining mechanism may determine whether or not the lending/borrowing period is expired based on a time of the clock, and a time of the clock of the first game device and a time of the clock of the second game device may be synchronized by data communications when a piece of game data is lent from the first game device to the second game device, and a time of the clock of the third game device may be adjusted to a time of the clock of the second game device by data communications when the game data is sublet from the second game device to the third game device. Thus, when game data is lent to another game device, the use of the game data is temporarily prohibited, whereby a copy of the game data is not produced. As a result, more realistic lending/borrowing can be realized. Also, the present game device manages the lending/borrowing period, and executes a game data return process (that is, a process for enabling the use of the game data again). Thus, it is not necessary to perform data communications when the game data is returned, thereby saving the trouble of connecting the two devices to each other. Also, it is guaranteed that the game data will be returned on the due date.
A game device of a present exemplary embodiment is a game device operable to exchange game data, which is usable in a game, with another game device, comprising: a game data storage device (12); a game process executing mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S403); a time counter (13); a lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S206); a period expiration determining mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S2012); and a game use controlling mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S200, S206, S2013). The game data storage device includes locations which store the game data (FIG. 6) usable in the game. The game process executing mechanism executes a game process using the data stored in the game data storage device. The time counter counts a time. The lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism sets lending/borrowing period information shared between the game devices, which is used for setting a lending/borrowing period, when lending/borrowing of the game data is performed between the game devices. The period expiration determining mechanism determines whether or not the lending/borrowing period is expired, in accordance with the time counter, based on the lending/borrowing period information of the game data, which is shared between the game devices, after lending/borrowing of the game data is performed between the game devices. The game use controlling mechanism controls use of individual game data in the game. The game data use controlling mechanism temporarily disables (S206) use of a piece of game data at a time of lending the game data to another game device which borrows the game data, and subsequently enables (S2013) use of the game data when determination is made by the period expiration determining mechanism that the lending/borrowing period of the game data has expired (YES at S2012).
A storage medium of a present exemplary embodiment is a computer-readable storage medium (11) storing a game program for enabling exchange of game data, which is usable in a game, between a plurality of game devices (the first game device, the second game device). The game program causes computers of the respective game devices to function as: a game process executing mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S403); a lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S206, S304); a period expiration determining mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S2012, S2016); and a game data use controlling mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S200, S206, S304, S2013, S2017). The game process executing mechanism executes a game process using data stored in game data storage device (12) included in the respective game devices for storing the game data (FIG. 6) usable in the game. The lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism sets lending/borrowing period information shared between the game devices, which is used for setting a lending/borrowing period, when lending/borrowing of the game data is performed between the game devices. The period expiration determining mechanism determines whether or not the lending/borrowing period is expired, in accordance with time counter (13) included in the respective game devices for counting a time, based on the lending/borrowing period information set by the lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism. The game data use controlling mechanism controls use of individual game data in the game. The game data use controlling mechanism of a first game device (100 and 110), which is a game device which lends the game data, temporarily disables (S206) use of a piece of game data in the first game device at a time of lending the game data to a second game device (200 and 210), which is a game device which borrows the game data, and subsequently enables (S2013) use of the game data in the first game device when determination is made by the period expiration determining mechanism of the first game device that the lending/borrowing period of the game data has expired (YES at S2012). Also, the game data use controlling mechanism of the second game device temporarily enables (S304) use of a piece of game data in the second game device at a time of borrowing the game data from the first game device, and subsequently disables (S2017) use of the game data in the second game device when determination is made by the period expiration determining mechanism of the second game device that the lending/borrowing period of the game data has expired (YES at S2016).
A game cartridge (110) of a present exemplary embodiment comprises a computer-readable storage medium (11) storing a game program for enabling exchange of game data, which is usable in a game, between a plurality of game devices (the first game device, the second game device), a game data storage device (12) for storing the game data (FIG. 6) usable in the game, and a time counter (13) for counting a time. The game program stored in the storage medium causes a computer (the CPU core 24) of the game device to function as: a game process executing mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S403); a lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S206, S304); a period expiration determining mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S2012, S2016); and a game data use controlling mechanism (the CPU core 24 executing S200; S206, S304, S2013, S2017). The game process executing mechanism executes a game process using the data stored in the game data storage device. The lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism sets lending/borrowing period information shared between the game devices, which is used for setting a lending/borrowing period, when lending/borrowing of the game data is performed between the game devices. The period expiration determining mechanism determines whether or not the lending/borrowing period is expired, in accordance with the time counter, based on the lending/borrowing period information set by the lending/borrowing period information setting mechanism. The game data use controlling mechanism controls use of individual game data in the game. The game data use controlling mechanism is operable to: temporarily disable (S206) use of a piece of game data at a time of lending the game data to another game device, and subsequently enable (S2013) use of the game data when the determination is made by the period expiration determining mechanism that the lending/borrowing period of the game data has expired (YES at S2012); and temporarily enable (S304) use of a piece of game data at a time of borrowing the game data from another game device, and subsequently disable (S2017) use of the game data when the determination is made by the period expiration determining mechanism that the lending/borrowing period of the game data has expired (YES at S2016).
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.